Spark arrester



J. SLC JCUM SPA RK ARRESTER April 23, 192 9.

Filed April 4; 1927' Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

JAMES SLOCUM, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPARK ARR/ESTER.

Application filed A rii 4,-

' This invention relates to a spark arresting device adapted-to be installed on thetop of a chimney,'and has for its object an im proved organization of parts by means of which, without appreciable impairment of the outgoing draft from the chimney, the potentially dangerous egress of therefrom may be so restricted thatthe resultant fire hazard is very much lessened.

Such a device is particularly useful in connection with houses having shingle roots as to which the relatively fine sparks, of such light weight or consistency as to burn out almost instantly, can be ignored with comparative safety, whereas the larger sparks,

which, in spite of their weight, are caught.

up and lifted by the outgoing chimney draft, are still of such probable burning duration as to ignite a shingle or similarly wooden roof upon which they 'fall, before they burn out; this latter is especially true if there is enough wind prevailing at the time to blow the sparks into the spaces between adjacent shingles. While my im- '2 proved device is to a degree merely a retardant or a minimizer as to the small sparks,

I have found by experience that it functions very eiiiciently to prevent the undesired escape of the larger spark bodies. My invention also relates to the improved means herein disclosed for securely yet detachably anchoring one of my arresting devices over the top of the chimney fine, though neither as to it, nor as to the body of the foraminous arrester do I desire to be considered as restricting myself to the exact embodiment described and illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective of my preferred construction shown in place on the dotted representation of a chimney top.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view.

A represents a chimney top, upon which is rested a generally rectangular shell B of wire meshing or similar foraminous material, which is open at the bot-tom, and whose top or roof portion C'is preferably convexed, sloping away on either side from the centralridge C. On neither side of the center C does the roof portion C extend to union with the adjacent top edge of the side portions B, but each ends so as to leave a space D, which, when the device is looked at squarely from the side, as in Figure 2, shows a clear space between the top edge of sparks 1927. Serial N'o. 180,655.

the side wall and the lowermost edge of the roof portion C, straight through the device from side to side. 7

Extending inwardly and somewhatdownwardly from the top edge of each side portion C is a battle member F, of such inward extent 0r.breadth that its innermostedge extends quite appreciably further towards the center of the shell or cage. as a whole than thelowermost or outermost edge of the corresponding roof portion G. Since there tio'ns, can emerge to the outer air through the spaces' D; the heaviersparks borne upward through the draft through the title "are relatively too weighty to escapingly traverse suchasinuous course, and avery large proportion, if not all .of them, are almost certain to find lodgment' or impingement against one of the bafiies F, or if they escape thus, the undersurface of one of the roof portions C, after striking either of which they either fall back into the chimney or burn out harmlessly, while thus held against further escaping movement. lVhile of course the exact size of mesh chosen must be determined by individual circumstances, it must be borne in mind that it must not be too fine to seriously cut down the potential draft upon the chimney flue, due allowance being made for the presence of the actually open spaces D through which air, as well as the smoke and some of the slight sparks, can still escape; in other words, thanks to the use of the foraminous material, the net available outlet size of the flue top from the standpoint of draft should not be considered as measured entirely by the size of the spaces D.

Bearingin mind that it is rarely desirable to-permanently anchor such a construction over the top of a chimney flue whose interior shouldibe accessible for cleaning at suitable ing arm,-as K, which is connected with the corresponding portion of the other piece by a helical spring L. vThe draw of this spring, combined with the fact of the pivoting of the branches H of the bracket, tends'to pull the upper ends K toward one another and thus flue surface. that since all of the mesh openings are of throw outwardly each central or U-shaped portion J, thus holding it in frictional engagement with the chimney wall to a degree sufficient to prevent the displacement of the shell or cage as a whole from its position on the chimney top by wind, accidental impact of birds, or the like. It is obvious that this anchoring engagement of the brackets or arms G with the chimney top can be easily terminated by manually drawing the branches K further apart, against the tension of the spring L, thus swinging the portions G away from contact with the chimney It is also worthy of remark the same size, the sections H of the bracket pieces can with equal facility be passed through, and thus be pivotally held by any one of them; and consequently the selected points of such pivoting can be located relatively near to or far from the ends of the side wall portions, in order to conform, as regards the contrast of the central portion J of each-bracket piece with the interior flue surface, to variance in the size thereof.

The bracket and spring arangement herein suggested is of special utility and durability, in that the operative parts are either at the extreme ends of the chimney flue where the least heat would be encountered, or actually outside'of the line thereof, as in the case of the spring L. These parts arethus protected to the greatest possible degree from deterioration due to the impariinent of the metal composing them, such as would be the case if part of all of them were constantly located directly across the chimney flue.

\Vhat I claim is: V j I In a spark-arresting device, in combination with-a foraminous hood having lateral openings adjacent the edge of its roof portion a-nd'bafile members projecting inte riorly from, the lower edge thereof, whereby the possible path of travel of sparks therethrough is rendered tortuous, and springactuated anchorage brackets pivotally supported by the foraminous side walls ofthe hood substantially coincidentally with and externally of the respective planes thereof adapted to engage with their slightly interiorly'projecting center portions the interior surface of the chimney flue to which the device is applied, thereby detachably anchoring the hood against displacement therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification. v

JAMES SLOCUM; 

